H1N1 Cases On The Rise Again At Cornell

Despite the somewhat misleading headline in this Sun article, it appears that H1N1 flu cases are again on the rise at Cornell. This is unsurprising, since the weather has turned colder, and the spread of H1N1 flu throughout the northeast has made it easier for students to pick up the virus from other places and bring it back to Cornell.

Additionally, other ailments have begun to make their usual winter rounds at Cornell, including sore throats, stomach flues, and other wonderful experiences. It also seems like people have dropped a lot of their guards which may have saved them from H1N1 in its first wave, including avoiding drinking games and using hand sanitizer before meals. I predict that we'll see another spike in cases before the end of the semester.

A recent article in the Catholic Courier outlines some of the steps the Cornell Catholic community has taken to slow the spread of H1N1:

Beginning Sept. 6, Father Daniel McMullin, the community's director, initiated several adjustments at daily and Sunday Masses: offering Communion in the form of host alone; stipulating that the host be placed on the hand only and not the tongue; suspending the custom of holding hands during the Our Father as well as hand-shaking and other bodily contact during the sign of peace; and imploring worshipers to stay home if they don't feel well. In addition, the university placed hand sanitizers at chapel entrances and made them available for liturgical ministers.

We've also learned more about how the flu has affected some of the sports teams at Cornell. Our highly touted freshman lacrosse goalie was one of the cases:

While injuries have been a prominent part of the season for most teams, Cornell has also been struck with a different type of bug, as freshman goaltender AJ Fiore contracted the H1N1 virus.

“[Fiore] had the flu, potentially the H1N1 virus and then he had some stress fractures or shin splints, so he’s been taken out of a few things,” Tambroni said. “He’s had hurdles he’s had to go over, but he’s been consistent in his work ethic and he’s just so coachable. I’d say he’s developed quite a bit in his time here.”

Let's hope no one on the hockey team gets the flu. I know that a few of them got it earlier in the fall, so some of them should have immunity by now.